- Why in news
- On 3 April 2026, the Election Commission reminded employers that Section 135B of the RP Act, 1951 gives voters a paid holiday on polling day for the 2026 Assembly elections and bye-elections.
- What it is
- Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 requires employers to give a paid holiday on polling day to employees who are entitled to vote. It covers elections to the Lok Sabha, State Assemblies and bye-elections. Its aim is to remove a work-related barrier to voting.
- Who is covered
- Every person employed in a business, trade, industrial undertaking or any other establishment who is entitled to vote gets the holiday.
- No wage cut
- Wages cannot be deducted for the holiday. An employer who breaks the rule is liable to a fine.
- Casual and daily-wage workers
- Daily-wage and casual workers are also entitled to the paid holiday.
- Outstation voters
- Electors working outside their constituency but registered in a constituency that is going to polls also get the paid holiday.
- Enforcement
- The Commission has directed State and UT Governments to issue instructions to ensure strict compliance.
Don’t confuse with Section 135B vs Section 135: Section 135B gives voters a paid holiday on polling day. Section 135 of the same Act (as I recall) deals with dry days, so keep the two apart; check the exact provisions before relying on this.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Removes a work-related barrier to voting and supports higher turnout among wage earners.
- Extends the benefit to casual, daily-wage and migrant workers, supporting inclusive participation.
Problems
- Compliance is hard to monitor among informal and small employers.
- Migrant workers still face travel cost and distance even with a paid holiday.
Way forward
- Stronger monitoring by State labour departments and clear grievance channels.
- Pair the holiday with measures for migrant voters, such as travel facilitation and awareness drives.
Put in your answer
Section 135B, RP Act 1951: Example of a statutory measure to improve voter turnout by making polling day a paid holiday for employees.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting provision of a law on the syllabus; paid holiday for voters. Laws form 23 of 327 news-linked Prelims questions, but this narrow provision is unlikely to be set.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.